HIV and the mouth

January 2007     View PDF     En español

Disclosing your HIV status

For proper care, it’s helpful for a dentist to know that you’re living with HIV because there are conditions (as described in this publication) that they will want to pay extra attention to. Finding a dentist who you trust, who’s supportive and who can help you make informed treatment decisions is desirable.

If you don’t already have a dentist who you trust and feel comfortable with, consider a referral from your doctor, a friend or an AIDS service organization. However, before you ultimately choose one and decide to disclose your status, you may want to talk to him or her yourself. Find out how experienced they are, get a feel for the overall atmosphere of the office, and discuss what information will be included in your file and what impact, if any, it may have on your insurance.